Masters degree loans will be available across the United Kingdom in 2017. All eligible students from England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland will have access to Government funding for postgraduate study.
UK students can use this money to study a Masters anywhere in the UK. In most cases, however, you'll need to apply from the country you normally live in. This won't necessarily be the same as the country you've studied in as an undergraduate.
EU students will also have access to UK postgraduate loans in 2017 as part of fee and funding guarantees following the recent EU referendum.
Our guides explain how the different loans work, including information on payments, repayments, eligibility and application requirements.
You can also view a quick comparison of UK postgraduate loans at the bottom of this page.
England was the first country to introduce loans for taught and research Masters degrees. Their value has increased to £10,280 for 2017.
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Wales will introduce postgraduate loans in 2017, with up to £10,280 for taught and research Masters degrees in 2017.
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Scotland is introducing two loans for taught postgraduate courses in 2017, offering up to £5,500 for tuition fees and £4,500 for living costs.
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Ireland will introduce £5,500 tuition-fee loans for taught and research courses up to Masters level in 2017.
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Our guide explains how postgraduate repayments work across the UK, with a helpful FAQ and loan calculator.
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Each postgraduate loan uses a separate application system. Our guide and walkthroughs explain how they work.
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Postgraduate loans are a new and fast-moving addition to the UK funding landscape. Our blog features regular news stories and updates.
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Postgraduate loans aren't the only source of funding in the UK. Our guides cover other forms of support, including international student funding.
Read moreThe UK's four postgraduate loan options have plenty in common, but there are some differences between the individual schemes.
Some concern obvious details such as residency criteria (you will normally need to be ordinarily resident in the country you apply for a loan from). Others concern more significant differences between loan amounts and eligible courses.
The following table compares the key features of postgraduate loans in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland for 2017:
| England | Northern Ireland | Wales | Scotland | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Value | £10,280* | £5,500 | £10,280** | £10,000*** |
| Level | Full Masters | Up to Masters | Full Masters | Up to Masters |
| Courses | Taught & Research | Taught & Research | Taught & Research | Taught |
| Length | Up to 4 years | Up to 3 years | Up to 4 years | Up to 4 years |
| From | 2016 | 2017 | 2017 | 2017 |
| *The maximum amount for English postgraduate loans will rise from £10,000 to £10,280 in 2017. | ||||
| **Wales also proposes a combination of means-tested and non-means-tested grants and loans from 2018. | ||||
| ***Scotland offers two separate postgraduate loans for tuition fees and living costs. Their eligibility criteria differ slightly. | ||||
You can receive regular updates about future postgraduate loan changes by signing up to our postgraduate newsletter.
